Every eye makeup lover has a bag of tricks that they’ve spent years accumulating. They’ve got their collection of eyeshadow palettes, jam-packed with all the colors that make their eyes pop. There’s an assortment of different primers from their favorite brands that serve various purposes depending on the day, and there’s the blackest of black liners that took months of testing every liner out there to find.
Among all these wonderful beauty products, there’s one that has never let us down; one product that has come through for every occasion without missing a beat. The Holy Grail item that we wouldn’t be here without: mascara.
But what is a wizard without a wand? What is mascara without a lash curler? Where would the beauty world be without this dynamic duo of unprecedented strength?
Lash extensions are nothing without their predecessor. Mascara walked so lashes could run, and in honor of that, we’re teaching you how to use that majestic lash curler the right way. There’s a wrong way? Uh, yeah, and we want to make sure you never have to experience it. We shudder at the thought.
Instead, let’s get you the proper information for natural lash care and some tips on how to use a curler with falsies. There’s more to this little bundle of magic than you might see on the surface, and we’re giddy at the thought of unwrapping all of its secrets together. Without further ado, get geared up in your favorite bathrobe and slippers, cozy up on the couch, and let’s dig in.
Finding the Best Eyelash Curler: A Beginner’s Guide
The right curler? There’s a right curler? Yep! Just like with literally any other beauty tool in a makeup artist’s bag, there is a big difference between high-end and low-end products. The quality of the curler, the price of the curler, even the function of the curler — all these things play a role in finding the optimal curler for your makeup bag.
The two most common forms of lash curlers you’ll find are traditional curlers and heated eyelash curlers. You can find high-quality products that curl lashes well in either category, but oftentimes what will make your decision for you is what kind of lashes you’re curling.
Believe it or not, false lashes and eyelash extensions can actually degrade if you attempt to curl them traditionally.
Heated Curler
False lashes aren’t made for added curl after the job’s been done — that’s why lashes come pre-curled or are curled at your lash appointment if you’re getting them professionally done.
What you’re after here is the heated lash curler. Using a heated curler will let you curl your natural lashes above the base of the falsies to blend better. They accomplish this with the small brushes attached to the curler.
Much like a straightener or curling wand would lock a new look into your hair, the heated curler will give you a longer-lasting curl than a traditional curler. However, if you want a more pronounced curl to your falsies and natural lashes together, we’d recommend either having your lash tech work on them or, in a DIY sense, reapplying a more curled set as part of your eye makeup routine.
Always make sure to control the temperature on your heated curler, as well as only use it on clean, washed lashes. This will help to avoid any problems or irritation mid-curl session. And remember that heated curlers aren’t a fix-all — all they do is curl eyelashes. You’ll have straight lashes again after 12-24 hours.
How To Use an Eyelash Curler: Pro Tips and Hacks
Odds are, you ended up here because you didn’t want to damage your falsies or natural lashes while attempting to curl them. For that reason, we’ll give you a play-by-play on how to properly use both a traditional curler and a heated curler.
How To Use a Heated Eyelash Curler
Let’s start with the heated curler, but let’s take it a step further and show you how to use our Lashify®Lashicurl® specifically designed for our Gossamer® lashes. Don’t forget to take notes in this step-by-step guide.
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Heat up the lash curler to a safe temperature. This should take about 15 seconds.
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If the Gossamers are still in their packaging, hold the heating comb to the Gossamer fibers. Focus on the base of your lashes and brush them up into a style that matches your eye shape.
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If the Gossamers are applied to your natural lashes, you can heat-fuse them. Clamp down the rubber pads and hold the heating wand at the base of the lashes and hold for three seconds. Brush and curl them upwards and hold for another three seconds in the end.
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Repeat this process two to three times or until the long lash curl you desire has been achieved.
Simple enough, right? We love making things easy and manageable no matter your experience level.
How To Use a Traditional Curler
With our next kind of curler (a traditional curler), we’ve got some tough news. Mechanical or traditional lash curlers can potentially cause premature fallout of your lashes.
These kinds of curlers are actually not the best for your natural lashes either, as repeated use can cause your lashes to fall out more rapidly and can weaken them over time. If your natural lashes start falling out, guess what they take with them? That’s right, all those beautiful falsies you just spent the afternoon applying. Boo.
We lose one to five eyelashes a day anyway, so why would you want to speed up the process? And if you have a habit of heating your metal curlers for the same effect a heated curler gives you, you run the risk of literally burning your eyelids. We’ll repeat that for emphasis: burning your eyelids.
Dos and Don’ts of Using Eyelash Curlers
Now that you’ve got the baseline laid, here is a list of our dos and don’ts for curling your lashes. These include tips for both falsies and natural lashes because if you don’t have healthy natural lashes, you can forget about extensions.
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Do clean your lashes. Clean lashes can help avoid many other skincare issues that might arise, and taking heat to a preexisting issue almost never helps the case. Wash or cleanse your lashes before piling anything else onto them.
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Don’t use a heated curler on traditional extensions. The traditional lash adhesive you’ll get from a lash tech responds very differently to heat than our bonds do, so be careful when taking heat to the base. With extensions, any direct heat such as a hairdryer, oven heat, or open fire could potentially singe the synthetic fibers and cause you a lot of discomfort.
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Do sleep properly. Nothing ruins a curl faster on your eyes than rolling over on it at night. Try to purchase a silk pillowcase or bed sheets. Silk is the best material you can expose your hair to while you’re knocked out — and that includes lashes.
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Don’t overheat your lashes. Most falsies are made from a material called PBT, which is formed by heating to shape. If you reintroduce a lot of heat to the material, you risk them losing their curl altogether and ending up with an unsightly crimp.
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Don’t use a traditional curler. We cannot emphasize this enough if you’re after the longevity of your lashes. Don’t weaken those lovely natural lashes and speed up the process of their fallout! It’s not good for your natural lashes or any falsies you try to wear in the future. Just stick with a heated curler or healthy extensions.
Curl, You’re Slaying
If you follow this simple list of dos and don’ts and adhere to our heated curler tutorial, you’ll be set for life with the makeup look of your dreams. We put our lashes through a whole lot of hoops in pursuit of beauty enhancement, so why not treat them with the same respect they return to you? Show off those glam lashes on TikTok, Insta, and everywhere else you can.
The more care, time, and effort you put into treating your lashes with the proper tools and products, the longer they’ll last you and the better they’ll look and feel. Who doesn’t what that for themselves? If nothing else, we want that for you! We want to see you looking and feeling your best, especially with the small things in life.
If anyone deserves to treat themselves to something that will ultimately make them feel their best, it’s 100% you. Life is way too hectic and bothersome on a daily to put yourself through the wringer in the beauty department too. Take a step out and really give your lashes the love they deserve by treating them right. We’re right here to help you along the way.
Sources:
9 Causes of Eyelash Hair Loss, According to Experts | Real Simple
5 reasons why sleeping on silk can transform your skin and hair | VOGUE
13 Mistakes You’re Making When Using an Eyelash Curler | SELF
